Team LiB Edition: What Makes A Product Award-Worthy?

This year’s Style Beauty Awards Edit has landed. Featuring an incredible lineup of some of the most talked-about beauty brands, the beauty experts from Team LiB give you the lowdown on what makes each product unique and worthy to be a part of the edit.

Need our help in deciding what to add to your edit? Keep reading to find out more about the products in this edit from luxurious, innovative and natural beauty to reliable heroes, brands who continue to push the boundaries in the beauty sphere and up-and-coming brands that are worth adding to your radar.

I tend to be drawn towards luxury beauty, mainly because of the sensorial experience that I get to indulge in when using luxurious products. From brands that use the finest ingredients with results-driven formulas, like Necessaire, to science-based brands like Margarett Dabbs where beauty meets technology, high-end beauty simply ticks all the boxes in terms of what I look for in luxurious products.

But expensive beauty doesn’t always mean better. Whether it’s high-end or high street beauty, it all comes down to a product’s formula and efficacy. Some high street beauty buys also feature innovative ingredients that provide you with results, just as well as a high-end purchase would.

When choosing makeup products for my beauty kit, the main thing I look for is a good formulation. Formulation is everything, and some brands have been around for so long because they get it right every time, producing professional, quality, reliable products that perform superbly no matter the conditions (think MAC and Sally Hansen).

Reliability is one thing, but another thing I love is trying new things. I am always looking to discover brands who are pushing the boundaries and creating products that are inclusive, fun, and make you feel beautiful while still delivering high performing formulas (think Bare by Vogue and Fenty Beauty).

Nothing says self-care for me than a scented candle paired with a relaxing eye mask for the ultimate calming experience. While self-care may mean finding different ways to relax and ease daily stress, for me it also means taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally.

I try to be as mindful as I can of what I’m putting in my body so when picking out items to add to my self-care routine, going for natural yet effective products are the way to go. In addition to a product’s effectiveness, I also pay attention to products that offer superior quality — even better if it’s premium quality at an affordable price.

When it comes to skincare, I am definitely a sucker for premium and luxury products. Some of my staple and reliable favourites (that actually work) are from those categories, such as Sisley and Elemis. Efficacy is key when it comes to skincare and both of these brands never fail to deliver.

I do, however, have increasingly sensitive skin as I’m getting older, and I’ve found that natural ingredients and products tend to be the most effective, gentle and easy on my skin as they don’t cause irritation. Therefore, I am keen to try brands pioneering in this space, especially those that are focused on protecting and giving back to the environment.

Being an innovative brand may be about staying ahead of the curve, however it should also be about providing formulas that don’t fail to deliver results.

I’ll admit, I am a sucker for premium beauty, but not all are made equal. I see plenty of “luxe” or “premium” brands, both old and new, that aren’t as uniquely formulated and don’t really deliver results. Ingredients and formulation are key.

The Style Awards offerings tick all my boxes. With truly cult brands like Clarins and Amanda Harrington delivering both experience and performance and some newer players such as Authored and Danessa Myricks bringing true quality.

This is true for skincare, makeup and fragrance, especially if I’m paying a premium price for it. SUQQU never disappoints on that front, and I’m loving the high quality from Olfactive. Both put ingredients and quality at the heart of what they do. I also don’t mind and often love quality fragrance in my products, as long as they work for my skin.

I’ve definitely become more mindful of the things I put onto my skin, body and hair. We only have one body and I want to take care of it properly, which is why I am obsessed with products that contain natural ingredients, such as Faith in Nature and Garnier. Their products always smell incredible too!

There are also some amazing brands out there that go the extra mile when it comes to research and development, and their brand mission, such as REN Clean Skincare and PAI Skincare. They have shown a huge commitment to sustainability, without compromising on good quality products. Another huge factor I’ve become increasingly aware of is packaging so I would often go for brands with recyclable packaging or even better, biodegradable packaging (shout out to Woo Woo)!

Booheads is one of the coolest brands I have seen for a long time, because toothbrushes or toothbrush heads may not be the first product that comes to mind in a beauty routine, but for something you use every day, it should be! Knowing they are also good for the environment makes your cleaning routine so much better too.

What I truly look for when searching for the best beauty products is if they really do what they say they will. I love investing in new products that will be great additions to my current routine along with holy grail beauty products that I cannot live without!

This is why I trust brands that are reliable with every product they launch! Essie is one of my favourite and go-to brands for nail varnishes and they always offer a range of colours that I look for. Plus, their nail polishes always guarantee me a chip-free manicure. 

I also hold a lot of love for Garnier products. They are a statement in every bathroom cupboard and I couldn’t live without my SPF 50 facial mist!